Moynalvey got the better of championship rivals Meath Hill by a 7 point margin after this keenly contested second round game in Walterstown on Wednesday, May 21st.
Moynalvey 1 – 13 Meath Hill 1 – 6
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After defeat against Moylagh in the first round, Moynalvey knew victory was vital and they started best with a point from play by John Donoghue and a Cathal Sheridan free putting them 0 – 2 to 0 – 0 ahead after 5 minutes. Meath Hill eventually got into their stride and responded with 2 scores of their own to level things up. An excellent point from play by Mark O’Sullivan and 2 more Sheridan frees in response to a Meath Hill pointed free meant that Moynalvey led 0 – 5 to 0 – 3 after 20 minutes.
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Meath Hill were unlucky not to score a goal only for an excellent Robbie Kiernan goal line interception but they got their 3 pointer shortly after when a point effort dropped into the top right hand corner of the net to push Meath Hill 1 – 3 to 0 – 5 ahead. However, this lead was short lived as a throw up in the middle of the field was knocked down by Brian Conneely to John Donoghue who sliced through the Meath Hill defence before transferring the ball to O’Sullivan who made no mistake when crashing to the net past the Meath Hill keeper. There was to be no more scores in the final minutes of the half meaning Moynalvey went in at the interval with a lead of 1 – 5 to 1 – 3.
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Meath Hill opened the scoring at the start of the second half but Moynalvey responded with a Sheridan pointed free. Indeed, any time Meath Hill got a score Moynalvey always responded and 2 more Meath Hill points were offset by efforts from play by John Donoghue and PJ Walsh to leave Moynalvey 1 – 8 to 1 – 6 ahead with 15 minutes remaining.
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Moynalvey were gradually proving to be the fitter team and a Sheridan effort from play pushed them 3 clear. Brian Conneely spurned a good goal chance when firing wide before another PJ Walsh point put Moynalvey 1 – 10 to 1 – 6 clear. Moynalvey were on top all over the field at this stage and with a watertight defence it gave the platform for further points from play by Sheridan, Donoghue and Willie Byrne to leave the final score at 1 – 13 to 1 – 6.
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This victory puts Moynalvey second on scoring average in a very keenly contested group with the next game up being against local rivals Summerhill.
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Team & scorers – O Regan, R Kiernan, P Donoghue, D Kane, P Weldon, D Dixon, D Donoghue, B Conneely, S Donoghue, R Quinlan, J Donoghue (0 – 3), W Byrne (0 – 1), M O Sullivan (1 – 1), C Sheridan (0 – 6), PJ Walsh (0 – 2). Sub – A Brien for D Kane.
